The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-07

| III was one OF tno dSsatlautS, WIZ uaQ p60e
| trated into the park on the ST Johns side from
| among the reeds Unseen, he had entered th
| stables, and at the risk of perishing in tn,
flames, had set fire to some trusses of straw
A breach was thus opened. In vain Burbank
and his ompanions endeavored to bar the way
A mass of assailants threw themselves into il
and the park was invaded by several hundred
men.
Many fell in the hand-to-hand fight TIL,
noise of the firing was heard all sides. Soor
Castle House was entirely surrounded. while
the negroes. overwhelmed by the numbers were
forced of the park to take flight in the woods
of Candles Bay. They had fought long a.
they could with courage and devotion; but il
they had resisted longer they would have beer
massacred to the last man.
Burbank, Stannard, Perry. the assistant
overseer. John Bruce, who had fought bravely
and few blacks had to take refuge in Castle
House.
It was then nearly o'clock in the evening.
The night was dark in the west In the nor th
the sky was ablaze with the blaze of the conha-
grafton.
Burbank and Stannard came hurriedly into
the house.
must go at once Whether the thieves force
their way in, are kept outside until we are
forced to surrender. there is danger in your re-
naming. The boat is ready. 1t is time TO part.
My wife, Alice. implore you to follow Zcrmah
with by to Cedar rock There you will be in
safety, and if we are compelled to escape in our
turn. we will find you there, we will join YOU"
my father" said Alice, ''come with as, aud
you. too. Mr.. Burbank"
Eyes, james, Yes! Gomez said Mrs. Bur
bank
ZIP answered Burbank. 81 abandon Castle
House to these scoundrels! Neuer, while re-
sistance is possiblel We can hold for some time
yet And when you in salty shall be
stronger to defend ourselves"
''Jamesi"
st is necessary"
A terrible tumult was heard as he spoke The
door resounded with the blows dealt it by
the assailants who were attacking the principal
or river front of the house.
'.Go" exclaimed Burbank. ''The night is al
ready dark; they will not see you in the shadow
Go. you are only paralyzng by remaining
here! For Gods sake, go!"
Zermah went first, holding little Dy by the
bands arms Alice left her fathers. They dis
appeared down the staircase, which led below
the ground into the tunnel to Marine creek.
'And now" said Burbank. addressing himself
to Perry. the assistant overseers, and the few
negroes remaining. now, my friends. we must
resist to the DEATH
Then they all assembled the grand staircase
from the hall, and took up their positions at the
windows on the first floor. There. to the hun
dreds of BULLETS that honeycombed the front of
the house, they answered by fewer. but more
effectlye discharges, firing. as they did, into the
mass of the assailants, who came to force
their way through the door either by axe or
flame There was no one this time to open a
breach into the house. Such an attempt as that
against the wooden palisades would have been
useless against stone walls.
Nevertheless a score of men. stealing. along
cred the steps The door was then
attacked furiously. It needed all it's solidity to
withstand the blows Of the picks and axes. The
attempt cost many of the assailants their lives
for the position of the loop holes admitted of q
cross-fire on to the step.
And now something happened to make mat
tiers worse. Ammunition began to fail. Bur-
bank, his friends and overseers, and the blacks.
armed with guns. had used the greater part dur
ing the three hours the assault had lasted. If
they had to hold out much longer, how could
q does had az
Would they have to abandon Castle House to
the mob. who would leave nothing of it but
ruinsl
And this would certainly have to be done il
the assailants broke in the door, which had al
ready begun to shake. Burbank saw this but
he resolved to wait till the last. At any moment
might not diversion take place? There
nothing to fear for Mrs. Burbank his daughter,
nor Alice Stannard And they could
fight to the end against this rabble of murder
ers, lncendlaries and thieves.
"We have still ammunition for an hour" said
Burbank. Use it all, my friends, and don't let
US give up Castle House"
!. He had hardly finished speaking when loud
report was heard in the distance.
ga cannon shot" he exclaimed.
Another report was heard to the westward,
the other side of the river.
"a second shotr said Stannard.
"Listenl" said Burbank.
A third report was heard. the wind bringing it
more distinctly to Castle House.
us that a signal to recall the assailants to the
right bank2' asked Stannard
-Ier0apS, SalQ bfuc6. 1t ID pOSSlpI0 CQaE
there has been an alarm over there"
YES" said the overseer; "and if these cannon
shots have not been fred from jackson Vile
They have been fired from the federal feet!7
said Burbank HAS the fiotilla forced the
trance of the St Johns and mounted the Rivera"
And there was nothing impossible in Commo-
dore Duponts being master of the river. at
least in the lower part of its course.
But it was not so. The three gunshots had
been fred from the battery at Jacksonville; that
was quite evident, as no more firing was heard.
har had haQn M
Northerners and Confederates on the St Johu's
or in the plains of Duval county
And there could be no doubt that this had been
the signal of recall to the commander of the
militia when Perry. who was stationed at one of
the side loopholes, exclaimed
They are retiring! They are retiring!
Burbank and his companions hurried to the
central window, which they opened
The sounds of the axe were no longer heard
against the door Not one of the assailants was
in sight. If their shouts and yels were still
heard N the air, they were heard further and
further away.
Evidently something had happened to oblige
the authorities at Jacksonville to recall this
mob to the other bank of the st. Johns Doubt
less it had been agreed that the three eunshots
should be fred in case any movement of the
squadron should threaten the confederate posi-
ton.
So the assaiants had ABRUPTLY abandoned their
final assault. and across the devastated fields of
fires they had kindled. An hour later they re-
crossed the river two miles below Candies Bay,
whore the boats were waiting for them.
Soon their shouts died away in the distance.
To the uproar succeeded absolute silence It
was the silence of death over the plantation.
1t was then half-past nine o'clock. Burbank
and his companions went down stairs to the hall.
There lay Edward Carroll stretched on the sofa,
slightly wounded, and somewhat weakened by
the loss of blood
They told him what had happened since the
signal from jacksonville. For the moment at
least Castle House had nothing to fear from
Texars gang.
eyes" said James Burbank. 'But the scoun-
drel wished to dispense my liberated slaves and
they are dispersed! He wished to lay waste the
plantation in revenge, and only its ruins are
left"
James said Walter Stannard. ''worse mis-
fortunes night still happen to us. None of Us
fell in defending Castle House; but your wife
your daughter and my daughter might have
passed into the hands of these rascals. and they
are safe"
.'You are right. Stannard and God be praised
for 1T What has been done by Texars orders
shall not go unpublished. and will have justice
to the last drop of his blood"
&c pitv said Carol. that Mrs Bur-